Day 31

Day 31 – Aqaba, Jordan to Suez Canal – Friday 15/6/12

Weather – Fine and Sunny 29C - 37C

Sunrise – 4.46am

Sunset – 6.45pm

Time difference - minus - 8 hours ex Sydney. (Back an hour last night ).

At 12.45am today Sun Princess transited the traffic separation scheme known as the Strait of Gubal (Madiq Jubal) in the larger area of the Gulf of Suez. On our portside we passed the old lighthouse at a distance of 2.8 miles next to the local Ashram Channel.

As this area is the main approach to the Suez Canal we saw lots of other shipping. Sun Princess continued to head on a north easterly course throughout the day.

A noticeably cooler day today, another sea day , which was welcomed by most given the two previous long days to Luxor and Petra.

We have sort of mentioned what we do on sea days a few times now so in the interest of avoiding repetition – lets just say it was repetitively relaxed :) Donna caught a movie (W.E.) whilst I mortgaged a deck chair and watched the oil rigs go by, and gee there was a few of them, some capped and some working.

This combined with lots of social chit chat abounded of course – a particular topic of conversationj was the discovery that Princess have already started discounting next years world cruise. 12K (14K less 2K per person on board credit) for the full cruise. A sign of the times huh.

Carl - passion fruit pineapple soufflé on the menu tonight – we succumbed !!

At 1am to morrow morning, next to point R'as Misallah on our starboard side we will anchor, and wait a few hours. Local officials and the Suez Canal Pilot will climb aboard at 6am, we will pull anchor and enter the canal with the northbound convoy.

Hoofnote: it is looking and feeling much better. The medical bill – not so good. $700 for first visit. $400 for second visit, with another $400 visit coming tomorrow as a third dose of jungle juice is going in thru the drip, they cost $200 alone...now where is that travel insurance paperwork ..eeeek